Hydro / Tidal Energy?

Question

How is it converted into energy, How is it extracted, What are environmental implications (Negative & Positive),

Answer 1

Tidal generators exploit areas with very high tides to power a generator. Basically the tidal flow is directed through the generator where the kinetic energy of the water flow spins the generator, which makes electricity.

I would speculate that the negative environmental impact on local marine life would include restricting the movement of fish and possibly injury if they get caught in the turbines. Tides up stream might not reach as high and fall as low disrupting marine life that depends upon the extreme tides.

The primary positive impact is that tidal energy would be pollution free and so it could displace a generator that would have otherwise produced air pollution, might have required more coal mining, or might have produced nuclear waste.